DMK's open backing to Tamil separatist Thirumurugan Gandhi and its attack on Maridhas has left a bad taste in the mouth of Tamil youth

Social commentator Maridhas, who airs his views through his Youtube channels is a staunch critic of DMK. He consistently post videos criticizing DMK in a factual way. He is also a strong supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and actor Rajinikanth, who announced his political entry few months before.

Maridhas in his recent Youtube video titled “திமுக பாகிஸ்தான் உடன் தொடர்புள்ள கட்சி? : Maridhas | Is DMK Influenced by Pakistan?” had exposed the nexus between Tamil Nadu fringe groups such as May 17 movement headed by Thirumurugan Gandhi, who is known for his separatist views, and the lottery agent Martin, whose premises were raided by IT officials few months back.

Maridhas told that this nexus between May 17 movement and Martin Company is similar to the nexus between Hurriyat groups and Dawood Ibrahim’s D-Company in Kashmir. Kashmir political parties such as Omar Abdullah’s Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party had displayed open support to the Hurriyat and Separatist leaders, which was a major reason for the disruption of peace in the former state of Jammu and Kashmir. Terror activities had seen a major rise in the former state of Jammu and Kashmir due to this support given by top politicians.

Maridhas had raised a doubt in his video about the
possibility of DMK playing a similar role like Kashmir parties by showing
support to the Tamil Separatist organizations. It should be noted that DMK
during its initial stages demanded for separating southern states from the
Indian union and had backtracked from this stand after the 16^th
amendment of constitution, which was also famously called as “anti-secession
bill” that was designed to prevent local political leaders in different regions
within India from using the electoral process to peacefully propagate secession
from the Union. Present DMK president
Stalin made a statement last year saying that he would welcome the idea of
Dravidanadu, a separate federation of southern states separate from the Union
of India, if such a situation arises.

DMK’s history of showing support to separatism is a major reason for Maridhas’s doubts on DMK in giving outside support to fringe Tamil separatist groups like Thirumurugan Gandhi’s May 17 Movement. When May 17 Movement’s leader Thirumurugan Gandhi was admitted to Hospital after coming out of Prison, he was visited by DMK president MK Stalin. Thirumurugan Gandhi was someone who once told that Bharath Matha has no place in Tamil Nadu. Thirumurgan Gandhi was the one who once made a hate speech saying that Marwaris in Tamil Nadu should be driven out of the state. Thirumurugan Gandhi is someone who openly and consistently advocates separatism of Tamil Nadu from India. With Thirumurugan Gandhi having such a bad legacy and history, DMK president MK Stalin’s visit is a solid reason for the Social Commentator Maridhas to raise doubts against DMK regarding their nexus with separatist groups such as May 17 movement and question them regarding this.

Thirumurugan Gandhi had also conducted various protests with Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leader Vaiko, who is currently a Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha through DMK. Why should DMK help to give a Rajya Sabha seat to a leader, who had openly conducted various protests along with the separatist Thirumurugan Gandhi. Such actions by DMK have created doubts among many on DMK’s nexus with separatists and Maridhas pointed this out and asked the right questions.

There was also another video titled “திமுக தடை செய்யப்பட வேண்டுமா? | Should the DMK be banned? | Maridhas Answers”,which is mentioned in the complaint filed by DMK on Maridhas. Here, Maridhas claims that DMK’s stand on Kashmir issue is same as the stands taken by Pakistan and Terrorist organizations. DMK can deny this claim but Radio Pakistan posting in support of DMK can infer us that DMK is intentionally or non-intentionally making statements that Pakistan would want an Indian political party to make. Here is the tweet made by Radio Pakistan in support of DMK's protest against the removal of Article 370:

When even a Pakistan radio on its own shows its support to DMK, it is natural to doubt that DMK is making statements in Pakistan language. This is not the first time where the Pakistan language was spoken by DMK. When Balkot strikes happened, both Pakistan and Tamil fringe groups that were indirectly supported by DMK made similar statements. Such claims and questions were raised by the Social Commentator Maridhas in his video. Few days back, DMK's spokesperson Saravanan made a statement in Republic TV saying that Kashmir was never a part of India. Till today, DMK haven't given a clear states on its view on the integration of Kashmir with India. DMK should give a statement with clarity on whether it believes Kashmir as a part of India or not.

DMK as a political party with more than 20 Member of Parliaments in Lok Sabha is duty bound to give proper answers to all these questions but instead DMK preferred filing a complaint on writer Maridhas instead of giving proper answers. DMK is demanding action against him under Sections 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and relevant provisions under Section 79 and other required provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

With DMK's association with separatist organization May 17 movement is wide open, with the happenings of DMK's spokesperson giving statements against the sovereignty of India and Pakistan Radio showing support to the protest conducted by DMK, Social Commentator Maridhas questions and doubts sound valid. It is the duty of DMK to give clarifications instead of choosing the path of killing the Freedom of Speech of Maridhas, who is an independent thinker. Will DMK give clarifications with clarity regarding its stand on Kashmir and Pakistan and its nexus with Tamil separatists?